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NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. -- Willow Gardens Memory Care, Westchester’s first assisted living center in New Rochelle devoted exclusively to Alzheimer’s and dementia care, will never forget the person their residents' once were inside.

The new 7.5-acre state-of-the-art assisted living facility — the first, and only nonprofit assisted living facility in Westchester County — is devoted exclusively to Alzheimer’s and dementia care.

The center will celebrate its grand opening Thursday at its new building on Willow Drive.

Alzheimer’s affects more than 5.3 million Americans, including more than one in 10 residents who are 65 or older. In the Hudson Valley, 40,000 people are affected, and that number is expected to swell to 50,000 by 2025.

The facility is designed with the special needs of adults with memory impairment in mind: visual cues and contrasting colors stimulate memory and help residents identify their surroundings. Residents will also have the freedom to roam the residence and to stroll a secure walking garden on the ground floor.